Profitable Farmer

We all now know that safety on-farm is an important issue. We also know that most farm businesses have more to do in this area, and it is pleasing to see so many farming families prioritising farm safety as a core part of the business improvement strategies.

SafeAg System is presently leading the way in helping farming families create safer and more professional workplaces; their App & offering are now in place on over 15,000 farms in Australia and overseas.

What I like most about SafeAg Systems is that their solution also helps farm teams operate more effectively AND be safer. Their platform caters for machinery maintenance scheduling, inventory management, human resource management, contractor management, on-farm communications and systems improvement, AS WELL AS safety practices. This App solves a real business management and HR problem for farming businesses, large and small… almost as if a safer farm becomes the outcome.

For more information, click here: www.safeagsystems.com

In this episode, it is great to connect with CEO & Founder Katy Landt. I appreciate her openness and the opportunity to share the entrepreneurial back story to the growth of the SafeAg Systems business.

Succeeding in the tech start-up space is incredibly challenging. Now seven years old and with a dedicated team of over 25 employees, Safe Ag System looks toward its first capital raise and next expansion step.

We can learn so much from people who are courageous and determined enough to pursue this path.

The SafeAg Systems story is compelling and a real credit to Katy, her husband Drew, and her co-founding parents Mark & Caroline.

Congratulations, Katy and the SafeAg Team. Keep up the great work.

Stay safe, everyone!

I have always been intrigued by Rabobank as a business.

A 120-year-old Dutch cooperative founded by farmers for farmers, now a global sensation specialising in agribusiness lending from over 1,000 offices across 38 countries, serving over 9 million customers... I think their Australasian Team are to be commended on the passion, dedication and quality support they provide to farming families across our region.

Just as interesting is the fact that their global research team spans over 140 leading analysts… all focused on finance and agri-markets… imagine the intelligence and insights available on navigating our local and international trading landscape!

In this episode, I am pleased to welcome Stefan Vogel, General Manager – RaboResearch, Australia & New Zealand, to our podcast.

I knew this would be a compelling conversation… but Stefan’s commentary and global perspective completely exceeded my expectation in so many ways.

Thank you, Stefan, for your openness and your insight as we explore:

• global and local grain production estimations;

Insightful is an understatement… valuable? ABSOLUTELY.

Stefan and his team host their own podcast – simply search “RaboResearch” on all major podcasting platforms to start listening.

In addition, their recently released 2023/24 Grain Production Outlook is a valuable resource and can be found HERE.

The next few years will likely differ greatly from those we have just experienced. We need to adapt accordingly. I hope this interview provides a compelling global perspective for those of you on tractors as we get our new season underway.

All the best for this season, given the global market in which we operate.

Best,

Hutch & Team

For many, the last few years have been unique and positive – resulting from low inflation, low-interest rates, above-average commodity prices and above-average production.

Now, our current reality is very different.

We will likely see an extended period of increased inflation, increasing interest rates and softening commodity prices. In addition, from a production standpoint, there is talk of El Nino weather patterns ahead…

The question we should ALL be asking is: Can my farm business model handle this new reality?

In this episode, I call on the “Brains Trust”, inviting Farm Owners Academy Co-Founder Greg Johnsson and Executive Director at RLS Agribusiness Jeff McDonald to join me to explore this question in detail.

We discuss the importance of:

• knowing your numbers;

In this, we share 2-3 key performance ratios we each need to be aiming for and emphasise the importance of considering these in confirming you have a business model that is agile, flexible, profitable (in most years) and resilient.

For more on this important topic, join Greg Johnsson & me on Wednesday 7th, June for a 90-minute webinar where we will dive deep into the core numbers you need to know and insight into what the top 20% of farmers are doing differently to adapt and thrive in this new agri-economic climate. For more information or to secure your seat, click here.

As always, a compelling conversation when I bring these two incredible minds together.

Enjoy, and all the best as you stress-test the strength of your business model.

Best,

Hutch & Team

At Farm Owners Academy, we help farming families create FREEDOM FARMS – that is a highly profitable business with the systems, structures, team AND performance to be able to work without dependence on you!

In this episode, I speak with Marina Gregor, who, along with her husband Brett, run a high-performing wool sheep enterprise ‘Willandra’ on Kangaroo Island, about their journey to create a FREEDOM FARM.

Eight years ago, Marina and Brett set down a Big, Hairy, Audacious Goal (BHAG):

Four months living as a family in Canada.

I am delighted to share that this interview is an international one! Navigating a 14-hour time difference as I speak with Marina, she is now two weeks into that four-month family holiday… their farm is under management and functioning strongly while they are away.

It is a great story and, importantly, a real example of what is possible when we get our mindset right and truly commit to a significant and meaningful goal.

Congratulations, Marina and Brett, on achieving a significant life-long dream.

I get that the road has not always been easy and that you have had to overcome some real challenges in pursuit of the goals & dreams you now enjoy.

Marina, we are delighted now to have you as an Accountability Coach on our team, sharing your experience and helping others achieve the success you now enjoy.

On behalf of the FOA Team, we are proud of all you have achieved.

To an incredible time for you and your family, and to realising important dreams!

Thank you.

In life, we have the opportunity to meet some remarkable people. Those individuals are often quietly determined to serve others and make a meaningful impact.

I met Mike Stephens, Founder, Director and Lead Consultant of Meridian Agriculture, as an overly enthusiastic and bullish 25-year-old. I have regarded him as a role model and mentor ever since.

One of Australian agriculture’s truly great personalities, Mike has dedicated his career to farmers, to families getting on and to effective farm succession.

Two and a half years ago, he completed the largest piece of research into farm succession globally. The insights from this are significant, and Mike shares some of them with us in this interview.

Combined with this is Mike’s incredible ability to communicate and facilitate. As others committed to helping with succession, the depth and accuracy of the questions he asks of individuals and families and the process he takes you through to optimise a succession outcome for you is deeply impressive.

Mike and his team at Meridian Ag are experts in this space and are available to help you move through the succession planning process.

You can find them here: https://meridian-ag.com.au/

I think it is fair to say he and they are qualified to do so!

Congratulations, Mike, on a lifetime of work helping farming families across Australia and overseas to create legacies that can transcend generations. Congratulations also on 40 years in farm consultancy.

For an article overviewing Mike’s findings, click here.

Thank you for your contribution, hard work and quiet, respectful determination to make an impact.

It is always great to connect with those that have in some way shaped you.

To all of you, I hope that this serves you.

Hutch & Team

So many farming families I meet feel completely REACTIVE in managing their farms. On so many levels, we often are left feeling like the business is running you, not you it. With all that is going on in a typical week, the long list of improvements to make, the complexities of programs and rotations, the changes of the season… for me, it is easy to see why so many arrive here.

One of my favourite quotes is from global personal performance expert Brian Tracy:

“We feel good about ourselves to the exact degree we feel in control of our lives.”

Three questions for you: 

• Are you feeling reactive or proactive in your leadership?

In this episode, I speak with Farm Owners Academy CEO Sam Johnsson. Sam commenced with us two years ago, following a highly successful corporate leadership career in a large design & engineering consultancy.

In this episode, we explore:

• why people are feeling so reactive in their farms right now;

The power of a concise, agile and actionable STRATEGIC PLAN is key in helping farming families make the shift.

The Farm Owners Academy team recently met in the Barossa Valley for two days to reset our Strategic Plan. During our conversation, we share the process we went through, the same process we coach EVERY farm business that commits to our three-year Platinum Mastermind Program.

To download a copy of our 3 Page Planning Template - Click here.

To learn how to nail this - Click here.

To book a free Strategic Roadmap Call to get direct support specific to your business from a Farm Owners Academy Coach - Click here.

We care deeply about seeing farming families feeling aligned, in control, and working toward one clear, impactful plan.

Thank you, Sam, as always – you are a genius in this space.

Enjoy.

Hutch & Team

Technology can be pretty incredible. With its exponential advancement, there is no doubt we are on the cusp of unprecedented change on-farm and across our industry.

Our game is rapidly changing, allowing us to achieve much more with much less.

For me, our future is very exciting.

In this, Matthew Prior (Managing Partner – Tenacious Ventures) and I interview the impressive CEO and Founder of SwarmFarm Robotics – Andrew Bate.

Based on-farm near Emerald in Queensland, Andrew and his family run a highly efficient, large-scale broad-acre cropping operation. In 2012, as a ‘side-hustle’ to their farm, SwarmFarm Robotics was created. Now, some 13 years later, this incredible Ag Tech business employs over 25 staff and is firmly placed as one of the pioneers and world leaders in Autonomous Vehicle platforms for Agriculture.

Congratulations, Andrew and team, for your pioneering and for the contribution you make to our industry.

Wow.

Hutch & the FOA Team

When you’re ready to take the next step and work with us, here are three things you can do:

1. Subscribe to our ‘Profitable Farmer’ podcast 

This free audio podcast delivers ideas to help you run a great business, leading to more profit, control and freedom – Click here.

Our new Facebook community is where smart farm owners learn how to get more profit, control and freedom, and you can connect with like-minded farm owners – Click here to join

3. Work with us privately 

If you’d like our team to help you scale up your farming business or create a ‘freedom farm’ just email us at [email protected] and put “Private” in the subject line… tell me a little about your business and what you’d like to improve and I’ll send you the information you need to get started!

Throughout each year, I value the opportunity to invite our Investment Specialist Terry Tran to join us on Profitable Farmer.

With rising inflation, increasing interest rates, ongoing supply issues and softening commodity prices we are potentially entering a new agri-economic landscape, different from all we have experienced in recent years.

In this podcast we explore how Terry sees the investment landscape at this time. We discuss the important of being proactive and creating diversification with a strong, well-structured, risk-aware off-farm investment portfolio, especially on the back of strong on-farm results.

We discuss in detail Terry’s investment philosophy, his track-record, and how he helps hundreds of farmers and investors across Australia to learn important, value-based investment skills, then take control of their investment portfolios.

Importantly, we explore Robert Kiyasaki’s Cashflow Quadrant (from the book ‘Rich Dad, Poor Dad’) and how each of us can create more wealth with a move over-time from being Employed or Self-Employed to being leveraged and focused as Business Owners and Investors.

For those interested, Terry will be running an Investment Masterclass from 7:30pm on Wednesday 5th April, exclusively for our FOA Community.

You can register for this here: https://www.thefreedomtrader.com/farmownersacademy/

As Founder & CEO to his business Freedom Trader, Terry is a great example of how to create financial freedom and an incredible leveraged lifestyle through strategic investing. We recommend Terry & the Freedom Trader program highly, and encourage you to make this training a priority.

Thank you, and enjoy.

Hutch & the FOA Team

It is so easy in this game to constantly put in massive hours, ensure everyone around you has what they need, and focus intently on getting the job done.

An extended finish, a challenging season and ALREADY the urgent requirement to get set to ‘go again’… I hear of many farming families feeling they must sacrifice their holiday plans to stay on top of production imperatives.

Right now, it is critical we stop, take stock, and be reminded of the importance of putting ourselves first.

Following a cracking session with Andrew Roberts last episode, I am delighted to invite Farm Owners Academy’s Director of Well-being and Mindset Specialist, Tracy Secombe, to once again join me on the Profitable Farmer Podcast.

In this episode, we explore:

• what is well-being, and what are the key elements;

We also discuss three valuable programs that support this:

• Tracy’s People Pleaser to Soul Pleaser Program

We recommend these programs to you… highly.

Tracy, we are delighted to have your involvement with us expanded and taken the lead in supporting the overall well-being of our team, our members and our entire community.

I cannot think of a more perfect person to take on this role with us all. Thank you once again.

In putting ourselves first…

Enjoy.

Hutch & the FOA Team

So often in this game, we attend only the training put on by the R&D extension agencies or free events by our advisers.

• the importance of investing in ourselves;